


magical mutualism

by delimeful



Series: Delimeful's Giveaway Fics [2]
Category: Sanders Sides (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Demon Summoning, Demons, Gen, Giveaway fic, Mild Blood, Mild Fantasy Prejudice, Urban Fantasy, but like a magical one, two idiot 20 year olds run a long con
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-11
Updated: 2020-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-01 05:21:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,289
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23100034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delimeful/pseuds/delimeful
Summary: Logan summons a demon to help him get into a magical institute. Surprisingly, nobody loses their soul in the process.
Relationships: Anxiety | Virgil Sanders & Logic | Logan Sanders
Series: Delimeful's Giveaway Fics [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1660312
Comments: 11
Kudos: 235





	magical mutualism

**Author's Note:**

  * For [borrowedblue](https://archiveofourown.org/gifts?recipient=borrowedblue).



Logan surveyed the floor of his dorm room, double checking his array one last time. The non-scented candles were all lit, wax beginning to slowly trail down the sides. The paint of the circle had dried, and every symbol was precisely inked in as though he’d stenciled it. To account for error, he’d gouged a secondary plain circle in the floorboards and filled it to overflowing with salt and a few protective herbs.

There wasn’t anything out of place, and that meant it was time to take the next step. He pressed his thumb to the ornate ceremonial blade, the dull edge painful as it finally bit into his skin and splattered blood into the center rune. He’d have to sharpen it before using it again, he noted mentally as the candles flared up an alarming purple. 

The lights in the room all went out, hopefully a centralized blackout and not something the other students in the building would complain about. He could still see well enough from the unnaturally bright candles, and was able to jot down a few notes as he watched the shadows jump and stretch off the floorboards, coalescing in the center of the circle and forming the physical body of the demon a foot in the air.

 _can fly?_ he noted in his research journal as four pairs of glowing eyes opened in the shadowy mass. Matching runic lines ran up and down the being’s arms, illuminating their form and showing it to be mostly-humanoid. 

With a pop like pressure in his ears, the demon fully materialized in the circle and immediately fell on their ass, apparently becoming subject to gravity.

 _cannot fly_ , he corrected, looking up in time to watch the demon dry heave bile onto his floorboards. Well, it wasn’t like he was getting the deposit back on this room anyways. 

**“Who the hell summoned me?”** the demon growled in multiple gravel-rough voices, shadows fluttering over their skin like writhing eels. 

“That would be me,” Logan responded, lifting a hand in greeting from where he sat cross legged on the floor next to the circle. 

_**“Why have you—?”**_ the demon’s question cut off as they caught sight of Logan, and their glowing eyes all narrowed. To his surprise, they slowly lowered into a crouch, bringing them eye level with him. **“Hey, wait. Is this alc** hemical magic? How the hell are you working a summoning circle?” 

“Summoning circles are actually one of the easier schools of magic to convert to alchemical terms,” Logan replied, because it was true and he wasn’t sure how else to respond to the way the demon had somehow ascertained his branch of magic so quickly. “The base circle is a conduit very similar to the one used in elemental arrays, and the actual contract magic is provided by the demon, so— were you… crying?” 

**_“No.”_** The demon reeled back, hurriedly wiping a sleeve over the long streaks of shadow— makeup?— that trailed down his face. A… familiar face, now that the shadows and ominous glowing were fading.

“You’re Virgil Umbra. From my orientation ceremony,” he said, disbelieving. 

“You can’t prove that,” his classmate said, voice rough and unsteady. Logan shifted, uncomfortable. It probably said something about him that he felt more apprehensive about facing a crying peer than an actual demon. 

Wait. “You’re a demon?” 

“ _Half-demon_ ,” Virgil growled, the shadows at his feet swirling agitatedly. They settled a moment later. “I’d be pissed that you found out, but.” A bitter chuckle. “It’s not like I have anything left to lose.” 

Logan took in his plainclothes and the tear tracks drying on his cheeks. “They refused you schooling on account of your lineage?” 

“No shit, Sherlock,” Virgil’s brow furrowed. “How’d you manage to get in? Last I checked, alchemists aren’t authorized to learn sorcery.” 

Logan cleared his throat. “Well. I _am_ currently summoning a demon— half-demon, rather.” 

Virgil’s eyebrows shot up, and he whistled. “You’re faking it.” Then he frowned. “I can’t give you sorcery. That’s out of my wheelhouse.” 

Logan waved a hand, dismissing the idea. “I don’t need such a thing; it would defeat the purpose of researching two schools of magic if my alchemy was usurped. I’m currently managing to fool the faculty on that front just fine, thank you.”

The half-demon’s lips twitched in an almost smile. “Then?” 

“What I’m finding more difficult to ‘fake,’ as you so eloquently put it, is a familiar. The binding contract is a complex, multi-layered thing, and despite my best efforts, I haven’t been able to replicate it with alchemy yet.” Logan schooled his expression, trying to remain unruffled. “The class assessment is tomorrow, and if I appear without a familiar, I will be found out and severely reprimanded at best.” 

Virgil hummed in understanding, rocking back on his heels, but his frown didn’t ease. “I’m… pretty sure I can’t do that either. I focused mostly on witch stuff, not reality-breaking, will-probably-kill-me demon stuff.” 

“If that’s true, then you already have the skill I need. Shapeshifting is a basic spell for most beginner witches, is it not?” Logan asked. 

He could see the moment the pieces clicked together, Virgil’s eyes brightening with surprise. “You want _me_ to pretend to be your familiar?” 

“The contract between a demon and a summoner shouldn’t be too different from a contract between a witch and a familiar,” Logan theorized, flipping a few pages back to show his analysis on the subject. “Unexpectedly, I now have something to offer you as well. As my familiar, nobody would question it if you attended classes with me.”

Virgil straightened out of his slouch, something like reluctant hope in his expression. “You’d just let me peek in on lessons like that? Even though I’m…” 

“I’m hardly one to be advocating for magical institutes’ restrictive acceptance policies,” Logan reassured him dryly. “Besides, everyone should get a chance to learn if they want to. And I certainly believe you have the drive for it if you applied and got this far before being caught out.”

Virgil stared at him for a long moment, unreadable. Logan felt his face heat up slightly, and quickly pushed his glasses up in a nervous tic. “Of course, it wouldn’t be the most ideal school experience, since you would be unable to receive grades or officially take tests, but I would be willing to assist you in keeping up to speed. I understand, of course, if this arrangement isn’t to your liking–” 

“Hey,” Virgil cut in, and Logan shut his mouth with a click. “What’s your name?” 

“Logan?” he answered, a bit puzzled by the non sequitur. “I’m Logan Rubus.”

A hand was thrust in front of him, dull nails painted black. “Logan. I don’t say this lightly, but you’ve got a deal. I’ll act as your familiar for the years that we attend this school, and as payment, you’ll do what you can to help me learn about the other half of my heritage. Oh, and we swear to not out each other’s secrets, obviously.” 

Logan looked down at where Virgil’s hand had extended the boundary line. “…Could you have gotten out of that circle that entire time?” 

“I mean, it’s considered polite not to just walk out on a summons, but yeah. Whatever array you jury-rigged for the summoning didn’t adjust for my shared blood, and the spilled wax weakened the paint bond. Salt circle would have got me if I was a fullblood, though.”

“Good to know.” Logan glanced at his notebook, and then reached out and sealed hands with Virgil, noting how cool his hand was. A small, excited smile settled on his face despite himself. “I get the feeling we have a lot to learn from each other.”


End file.
